Residential School Records

The United Church of Canada has shared a response June 4th to the Kamloops residential school burials.

The United Church of Canada response addresses that the United Church has provided copies of all known records in our holdings related to the residential schools administered by the The United Church of Canada. These materials were turned over to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and have since been transferred to the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation. The Archives has also contributed records to the Indian Residential School and History and Dialogue Centre.

We are currently undertaking a similar discovery process regarding records on Day Schools, and have committed to turn over relevant material to the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation if and as it emerges.

Access to Residential School Records

We continue to provide access to residential school records in our archives. Please note that any visits to the Archives is by appointment only.

There are several ways for researchers to navigate these records:

  • Search the archives catalogue.
  • The Children Remembered is a website that was originally created in 2010, in preparation for Truth and Reconciliation Commission events to make photographs and the research conducted on the school histories available.
  • Contact us to detail your research so we may assist you.

Fees for Reproduction

The Archives does not charge fees to survivors, families of survivors or authorized representatives collecting information on behalf of Indigenous communities. Researcher, journalist or media fees for any reproductions will support the preservation and distribution of copies to survivors and Indigenous communities. Requests for permission to publish any reproductions will be reviewed in consultation with the Indigenous Ministries & Justice Unit to ensure usage is in accordance with the Church’s apologies and commitment to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

Missing Children or Burial Information

The United Church of Canada Archives provided details for the Truth and Reconciliation Commissions’s Missing Children and Unmarked Burials report with all references found related to children’s deaths and burials at the 15 schools run by the The United Church of Canada and 4 institutions operated by other denominations.  This research has been contributed to the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation’s National Student Memorial Register.

If you have any questions about how the church is responding to the Calls to Action (71-76) on Missing Children and Burial Information, please contact Indigenous Ministries and Justice. (PDF, 246 KB)

Were records hidden or destroyed?

Records created about schools have been lost or destroyed over the years, prior to arriving at the archives. Records that have been received at the United Church of Canada Archives are not hidden from researchers or destroyed and it is our mandate to preserve and make them accessible.

If you have any further questions or concerns about accessing our records on residential schools or other church history, please contact us or through the General Council Office.